Editor's Note: The first workshop was postponed due to the weather and rescheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on March 15.
The University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center’s upcoming January workshops will help area entrepreneurs and communities with topics ranging from applying for grants to personnel conduct policies and how to handle state and federal taxes.
“It’s exciting to share information about each of these topics with the Crossroads community,” UHV SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said. “Our workshops will feature presentations by field experts who can share their own experiences and knowledge with attendees. I’m looking forward to seeing how the information from these workshops will impact the area.”
All three of the workshops will take place in the UHV SBDC offices in Laurent Tower, 1908 N. Laurent St., Suite 400.
The first workshop will be HR Perspectives: Creating Personal Conduct Policies. The free workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday. The workshop will be presented by BeneficialHR owner Melissa Tom. During the event, attendees will learn the best ways to create business personnel conduct policies that include clear expectations of employee behavior and policies for problems.
“Dealing with personnel misconduct can be one of the toughest parts of running a small business,” Humphreys said. “It helps to have a set standard in print that can be referred to when issues arise. The clear communication of expectations and consequences are simpler when entrepreneurs are able to put their policies in writing.”
The next workshop will be State and Federal Taxes for Small Business from noon to 2 p.m. Jan. 17. The free workshop is one of the UHV SBDC’s most popular seminars.
The presenter will be David Plemons, a Certified Public Accountant in San Antonio. He will provide information about federal taxes for small businesses and home-based tax breaks. Plemons will offer a clear, simple explanation of the information small business owners need to process paperwork and file information correctly.
On Jan. 24 and 25, the UHV SBDC will host its Basic Grant Writing seminar. This two-day event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 24 and begin again at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 25. The presenter will be Jerry Pearce, executive director of the Texas Association of Resource Conservation & Development. The seminar will cost $250 at the door or $195 if attendees pre-register.
The seminar is intended to help communities, nonprofits and businesses apply for grants. Attendees will get an in-depth look at the application process and associated paperwork. Pearce also will point out how applicants can learn about grants that could help them improve their communities. This workshop is especially helpful for rural communities in need of additional support, Humphreys said.
To register for these workshops, contact the UHV SBDC at 361-485-4485 or email sbdc@uhv.edu.
The UHV SBDC is part of a nationwide small business assistance program serving the small business community in partnership with federal, state and local governments. The center offers business advising, training and technical assistance to existing and start-up businesses in an 11-county area.